Latest Prayer Concerns
Remember Marjorie Pittman in your prayers. She is back in the hospital after it was discovered that she had congestive heart failure.
Bill Williams is out of the hospital, where he overcame pneumonia. He is in the rehabilitation center on Bayshore Drive.
Arthur Hannaway had surgery and is in rehab. Please be in prayer for him.
Remember Delanie Kriewald who continues to struggle with health issues.
Remember Betty Pace, Pastor Elizabeth Vega, and all those who are having flu-like or cold symptoms during this winter. Pray that everyone can return to their lives and jobs symptom-free.
Remember Mark Mitchell who is suffering from health issues, and pray for Gemma Armstrong’s friend Latisha who recently suffered a fire that destroyed her home. Prayers are also needed for Karen Seward’s father who is in the hospital in Illinois.
Latest Praise Reports
On Saturday evening, January 21st, the Fellowship Committee held a combined chili cook-off and dessert bake-off. For a small donation, anyone was invited to sample all the entrants and vote for their favorite. There were 10 different chilis and almost as many desserts to sample.
The winning chili recipe was made by Velma Albritton with second place going to Annabel Lennard, and an honorable mention prize to Pastor Vega’s mother. The best dessert prize went to Lucile Robinson, with a runner-up prize going to Tabitha Waters. Congratulations to everyone who participated—and thanks for all the yummy food.
Sunday, January 22nd was Confirmation Sunday. We celebrated the baptism and confirmation of six of our young people into our congregation. These youngsters have spent a good deal of study and time preparing themselves for this momentus step. Please welcome these young people into the life of our congregation:
...“Relay for Life” Spaghetti Dinner…
A Relay for Life fundraiser will be held on Sunday, January 29th from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM. A spaghetti dinner with all
the fixins’—garlic bread, a drink and a desert—will be available for the mere cost of $5.00 per person. Meals will be available to go or to eat right from at the Crichton Hall dining room.
The monies raised will go directly to the American Cancer Society on behalf of RUMC and our Relay for Life team. For more information or to help with the meal, contact Denise Short-Nieves at (813) 943-2053.
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...Volunteer Recognition Sunday…
Sunday, February 5th will be volunteer recognition Sunday. That’s the Sunday that the United Methodist Men will present their Volunteer of the Year award, and will recognize all of those who have given so generously of their time, prayers and treasure to help our church and community. Everyone is welcome to attend our pizza party immediately after the 11:00 Service. Come, enjoy the food and fellowship, and be recognized for your service and Christian charity.
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...Valentine’s Day Banquet…
On Saturday, February 11th, the Fellowship Committee will be sponsoring a Valentine’s Day Banquet. You can get your ticket from any Fellowship Committee member.
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...Trustee-Sponsored Workday…
You may have noticed that all of the Sunday school rooms now have red doors. These doors were painted during our recent workday in January. The trustees have set aside Saturday, February 25th as our next work day. We are hoping to use the day to complete a number of outdoor projects to take advantage of the continued cool weather.
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...Real Ideas Conference...
Van Dyke UMC in Lutz will be hosting their annual Real Ideas Conference on March 1st and 2nd. If you are interested in attending this conference with Pastor Merritt, please contact him for more information. Registration forms for this event are available at the entrance to the sanctuary. You can also register online for this event from the Real Ideas link on the Beyond the Church page.
Continued on the NEWS Webpage.
Bible Passage for the Week
I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:2-5, 12-14
New Living Translation
8002 U. S. Highway 301 South, Riverview, FL 33578 813-677-5995
Rev. Merritt Waters, Pastor
"Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of Riverview and Beyond!"
Downloadable Files and Reports.
What's New on the Website:
Links on the Beyond the Church page will let you:
- Learn about UMCOR's work in East Angola, Africa.
- Register for the Real Ideas Conference at Van Dyke UMC in Lutz on March Thursday and Friday, 03/01-03/02/2012.
- Register for one of the Couples Retreats at the Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park during March, 2012.
- Volunteer to help with the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, held at the Tampa Convention Center in April/May 2012.
- Learn about being a Florida Children’s Home Foster Family as part of Open Hearts Family Services.
Extract the colorized January, 2012 BELL Newsletter from the link below.
Read the January messages from Pastor Merritt and Rick Phillips on the Pastoral Message page.
Sunday School Teachers Needed
The new rotation for Children’s Sunday school classes will begin on Sunday, January 29th. Amy reports that we still need two more teachers for this rotation.
Stewardship Campaign
Planned for Lent
There will be a Stewardship Campaign planning meeting on Tuesday, January 24th, in the Library at 6:30 PM. We will be brainstorming a spring stewardship campaign to run through the Sundays of Lent. The United Methodist Men have set aside up to $6,000 in matching challenge money to help insure that our Spring Stewardship Campaign will be a success.
Don’t Forget the Children’s Home
Sunday, January 29th will be the fifth Sunday of the month. On that rare Sunday, RUMC typically collects a special donation to the Florida UMC Children’s Home in Enterprise, Florida. Don’t forget this valuable ministry for children. We have made a long-standing commitment to support this valuable mission with prayers and contributions.
Afram Onyebuchi Dike
Gabrielle Brooke Keovongsa
Kylee Rene Moore
Elizabeth Maralena Short-Nieves
Jonathan Galo Perry Short-Nieves
Andrew Merritt Waters
